Do not want support from any political party: Jagan hits back at BJP

Hyderabad: A day after Union home minister Amit Shah accused Andhra Pradesh chief minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy of indulging in scams, rackets and corruption in the last four years, the ruling YSR Congress party on Monday shot back at the senior Bharatiya Janata Party leader, saying he had fallen in the trap of Telugu Desam Party.

While Jagan reacted cautiously saying he did not enjoy the support of the BJP or any other party and would fight the next elections single-handedly, his senior colleague and former MP Y V Subba Reddy came down heavily on Shah for “parroting the words of the TDP.”

At a public meeting held on Sunday night, the Union home minister alleged that the Jagan government had done nothing for the state in the last four years, except indulging in corruption, scams and rackets.

“The Jagan government claims to be pro-poor but Andhra Pradesh stands at third place in the country in terms of farmer suicides. The chief minister should be ashamed of this,” Shah said, alleging that the YSRCP leaders had swindled the funds given by the Modi government to the state.

Indirectly reacting to Shah’s comments, Jagan said at a public meeting held at Krosuru in Palnadu district that he did not bank on the support of any other political party. “The people of the state alone are my strength and confidence. Unlike the TDP, I don’t enjoy the support of other political parties.

“You are my courage and confidence. Unlike the TDP which enjoys the support of the gang of thieves and other political parties, I don’t enjoy the support of the BJP or any political party. But I don’t fear as I have your support and the blessing of God,” Jagan said.

However, his senior colleague and Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams trust board chairman Y V Subba Reddy alleged that the top leadership of the BJP had fallen into the trap of the TDP. “It is atrocious on the part of Shah to parrot the words of certain turncoats, who defected from the TDP to the BJP. It is unfortunate that the Union home minster had made wild allegations against the Jagan government, which was sincerely striving for the uplift of the poor,” Subba Reddy said, while speaking to reporters at Visakhapatnam.

Alleging that the BJP had its share in the corruption indulged in by the previous TDP government between 2014 and 2019, the YSRCP leader said it would have been better had Shah explained to the people what the Narendra Modi government had given to Andhra Pradesh for its development.

“He has not uttered a single word about the privatisation of Visakhapatnam steel plant. How can he ask for 20 MP seats from Andhra Pradesh?” Subba Reddy asked.

TDP spokesman and former MLC Parchuri Ashok Babu said Jagan’s statement clearly showed his insecurity feeling. “Every word of Jagan indicates that he is scared of an impending defeat in the next elections. In order to cover up his insecurity feeling, he is slinging mud at Chandrababu Naidu,” he said.

The TDP leader asked why Jagan was afraid of making a direct attack on the BJP and pull up the Centre for not granting special category status to Andhra Pradesh. “He had met top BJP leaders several times in the recent past. Why doesn’t he disclose what had transpired between him and them?” he asked.